It was an emotional afternoon at Comerica Park, as Detroit Tigers legend Justin Verlander left the mound for the final time of storied MLB career. Verlander was joined by wife Kate Upton and his daughter, Genevieve, as he walked off of the field.
In an incredible moment, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch sent Genevieve to the mound to pull her father from the game, which led to Verlander bursting into tears after a hug with his daughter on the mound.
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Upton was waiting for Verlander as he said his final farewell and walked into the tunnel.
You couldn’t ask for a better moment.
After the game, Hinch revealed that he and Upton came up with the idea to have Genevieve, who through out the ceremonial first pitch to her father on Friday, make the mound visit.
To cap off the storybook ending, the Tigers won the game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, after a two-out, two-strike two-run walk-off home run from rookie Eduardo Valencia.
Justin Verlander’s Storybook Ending
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander and his family pose for a photo during Justin Verlander career celebration ahead of the
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander and his family pose for a photo during Justin Verlander career celebration ahead of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
After the game, Verlander admitted that he was blindsided by the mound visit.
“The way it went, with Genevieve running out, I mean, I had no clue [it was going to happen],” Verlander said, via MLB.com. “I was totally blindsided, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. That was amazing. I was sobbing and I had to tell her, just to make sure she understood, I was happy. She’s never seen me cry like that.
“I’ve been a baseball player since I was five years old. mean, I gave everything for this. I left home. She’s in school, and I wasn’t there. There’s just a level of commitment it takes to be great at something, you know? And I hope she understands. She means the world to me. My family means the world to me. And I’m just so happy that I get the opportunity to make up for lost time.”
You couldn’t write a better script, and what a beautiful and perfect momentum it was.
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